Published • loading... • Updated
A young mother’s killing went unsolved for nearly 40 years. Then the phone rang
Gary Glowacz told detectives he killed Melissa Ellison during a burglary, ending a 38-year search for answers in the cold case.
- Gary Glowacz, a 70-year-old Middleburg resident, was charged with second-degree murder and armed burglary after confessing to the 1987 killing of 20-year-old Melissa Ellison in Jacksonville.
- Glowacz told Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Cold Case Unit detectives he realized his responsibility in March after reading an article about the case, admitting he struck Ellison with a log during a burglary.
- In January 2026, Project: Cold Case and Ellison's family held a news conference that authorities credited with aiding the investigation, drawing attention to her 13-month-old daughter Casie Ellison.
- Glowacz remains in the Duval County Jail without bond ahead of a Thursday court appearance, though sisters Glenda Blandford and Sissy Bennett said they do not yet feel relief.
- Catherine Taylor, the victim's mother, died in 2019 without learning her daughter's killer's identity, and Blandford noted the family is currently sitting on an arrest, not justice.
Insights by Ground AI
14 Articles
14 Articles
The murder of Melissa “Missy” Taylor Ellison remained a mystery for decades after she was found dead in her bedroom and her 13-month-old daughter was left crying in the living room.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources14
Leaning Left1Leaning Right1Center12Last UpdatedBias Distribution86% Center
Bias Distribution
- 86% of the sources are Center
86% Center
C 86%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
